Barre woman charged with aiding teen runaway

A 47-year-old Barre woman who police believe helped hide a 17-year-old runaway has been charged with interfering with officers, who spent three days searching for the missing girl.

Mary A. Malo-Wells of 5 Trafalgar Square, Barre, a bus monitor on the teen’s route, allegedly picked up the girl after she jumped from a second-floor window wearing a jacket, duck boots and pajama pants last Thursday morning.

Police believe she hid the girl at a friend’s house in Gardner, tipping her off when police learned where she was staying.

The girl’s aunt reported her missing shortly after she disappeared, telling police the teen needs medication for some psychiatric issues and may harm herself without those drugs.

The girl’s family members also uncovered documents that indicated the teen may have been romantically involved with the bus monitor, court documents state.

State and local police used tracking dogs, conducted searches on foot and used social media to try to find the teen. They contacted the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and listed her as an endangered runaway.

Police Chief Erik Demetropoulos said officers feared for the girl’s safety and were very frustrated when Ms. Malo-Wells told them she hadn’t seen the teen or given her a cellphone — two things investigators later learned weren’t true.

Just before State Police found the teen in a van with Ms. Malo-Wells Saturday, police pinged their cellphones and found the phones were in Connecticut. The pair were found on Interstate 395 in Webster, and state police returned the teen to Barre.

Ms. Malo-Wells allegedly told police she believed the girl was being mistreated at home. Chief Demetropoulos said he told her that if she suspected such a thing it should have been reported as required by law for those who work with children.

In a request for a restraining order against Ms. Malo-Wells, the girl’s aunt wrote her niece was hospitalized and that Ms. Malo-Wells made threats to “run with (the teen) again at her discharge.”

Chief Demetropoulos said the case is still being investigated. Sgt. Robert J. Deschenes, who investigated the case, also notified the Department of Children and Families of the incident. He wrote in his report that Ms. Malo-Wells and her “live-in girlfriend” care for three children in their home.

At her court appearance Monday, Ms. Malo-Wells was ordered to abide by the terms of the restraining order and to stay away from and not contact the teen. She was released on $250 bail and is due back in court March 5.